If you're driving and you need to use your mobile phone, most states in the US require you to use some kind of hands-free device to place or take calls. For most of us, that means some kind of Bluetooth headset. There was a time when those headsets were prohibitively expensive, but these days depending on the features and form factor you're looking for, they can come in super-cheap, or cost you a good bit of money. This week, we're going to look at five of the best, based on your nominations.

For many (myself included), Jawbone brought us our first Bluetooth headsets that were both affordable, attractive, and not bulky, ugly pieces of plastic that were obvious you were wearing them in public. The Jawbone Era ($130 retail) and Icon ($80 retail) are two of the company's smallest models, and sport customizable ear tips that work like earbuds (as opposed to older models that rested on your ears), are remarkably comfortable, offer great battery life (and rechargeable batteries via micro USB), and impressive call quality thanks to the company's Noise Assassin noise reduction technology, so the party on the other end doesn't beg you to call back from a landline. Add in little perks like a battery indicator that shows on your iPhone when paired and the fact that you can shake to put it in pair mode, and you have a great contender.

Plantronics has been making headsets for mobile phones since before Bluetooth was standard on them, starting with stereo wired models that were affordable and comfortable. Their modern Bluetooth models may fly under the radar in some cases, but they're stellar products, offering some of the best sound quality available to both the caller and the party on the other end and very quick recharge times (not that you'll need it - some of you marveled at their all-day battery life.) Plus, their behind-the-ear design instead of all in-ear model makes for comfortable long-term wear without sacrificing audio quality, and perhaps most importantly, they're much less expensive than their designer competitors, with the Voyager Pro retailing for less than $100.

A number of Jabra models made the roundup, with most of you lauding the company's perfect balance between price, comfort, features, and in some cases, the ability to use your headset as earphones to listen to music and then take a call when one comes in. Instead of the type of headset that you wear only when you're driving or actively talking on the phone, some of you keep your Jabras in to listen to music wirelessly from your phone. Aside from that, some of you noted the comfortable gel eartips that many Jabra models come with (and one of you noted you use them with other models of headset!) and active noise cancellation on some models. Whatever you need a headset for, and whatever your price range, it's likely that Jabra has a model for you.

Motorola's line of Bluetooth headsets used to be more well known than they are now, but many of you still hold your Motorola models in high regard. Most of you note that you prefer their headphone/headset models that allow you to take and place calls while also listening to music while you're biking, driving, or out on a jog (specifically the Motorokr S9($140 retail) and the S10 ($90 retail)) in stereo. Motorola also knows a thing or two about call clarity, another point many of you noted—that above many of the other models, your Motorola headset was the preferred choice of the people on the other end of the call, even if they didn't have all of the bells and whistles of other, more expensive models. Combine that with long battery life, easy recharging over USB, and with many of the models, simply shutting the boom mic to power off instead of tiny switches, and Motorola is a strong contender.

LG's bluetooth headsets also aim for a balance between price, ease-of-use, and style, and come in an array of colors, shapes, and sizes depending on your ears, what you want to be seen wearing, and how much you want to pay for it. Many of you called out the LG HBS700 Tone ($70 retail) specifically as their banner stereo bluetooth model that lets you take calls and listen to music in stereo when you're not on the phone. The earbuds are magnetically cupped to the sides so you can wear glasses, and audio controls are right on the device. They're not high-fi or anything, but you nominated them for being comfortable, long-lived, and well designed.

There you have it, the top five nominees. Now it's time to vote for the all out winner.

Honorable mentions this week go out to Bose Bluetooth Headset, which many of you nominated for their incredible sound quality (of course, they're Bose), tiny size, and noise isolating microphone. Also worth an honorable mention are the BlueAnt Q2 and T1 headsets, which sport great battery life, integration with your phone's contacts list, their own set of built-in commands, and—take it from me, are very comfortable (full disclosure: I own a Q2 and love it and the Android app it comes with.)

Did your favorite not make the list? Have something to say about one of the contenders? Remember, the top five are based on your most popular nominations from the call for contenders thread from earlier in the week. Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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The Hive Five is based on reader nominations. As with most Hive Five posts, if your favorite was left out, it's not because we hate it—it's because it didn't get the nominations required in the call for contenders post to make the top five. We understand it's a bit of a popularity contest, but if you have a favorite, we want to hear about it. Have a suggestion for the Hive Five? Send us an email at tips+hivefive@lifehacker.com!